Before us stands a mountain.
Nerves pump in our body as we think about the exciting journey ahead. You’ve gone over the route on the map, but never actually walked the route. There is uncertainty over whether you will get it right, whether you will be a good leader and lead everyone safely to the top to see the view and back down again.
Fear cripples many, God calls us to step forward and start the journey.
And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise, go on your journey at the head of the people, so that they may go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them.’
There are points where there may be aspects of danger, and at every point you assess the danger, not just for yourself (for you may be an able walker) but for those people who are in your care. But you are not alone, there are others that are there with you helping, scouting routes out ahead to see if we are on track.
With a good circle of friends in Christ, anything is possible.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
One of the walkers realises that they have never been up a mountain before and their body may pay for it the next day, it may involve pain. You realise it is your own mother, but she decides to carry on and accept that pain to gain the top of the mountain.
We are torn sometimes when our own relatives will feel pain, but God loves us and asks us to put all worries on His shoulders.
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
At the top there is a wonderful view, you are all together, even though you arrived at slightly different times, we all had each other in sight on the journey so that none were alone and none where lost.
Jesus stays with us and keeps us safe from corruption on our journey.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost
After the joy at the top, the pain of pulling ourselves away from the top to start the journey back down the other side of the mountain.You have already made the sacrifice of giving the time to start the journey, but on the journey you encounter people injured and you are called upon to give up some safety equipment to them, and to spend some time helping them.
You are called to make a sacrifice (a sacrifice may be in many forms)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
They are the ones hurting now, but there are family comforting and the blanket donated is keeping them warm. With your help (because you had a gps mapping device) you were able to direct the helicopter to the exact position of the stranded souls, and the medical crew reach them. You leave them wishes peace and well, because you know they are in good hands.
We can leave worries behind if we give them to God, but we must also leave everyone in peace.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
You start down again, passing fields of wondrous views, looking back up to the mountain which shows all its glory. You arrive back at the start a changed person and sit and enjoy the friendship that the journey has brought to your group as it travelled. You realise that you have shared a journey and all are safe, even though there were aspects of danger. Being together and sharing that journey was the important part.
You were not called to journey alone.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
In prayers and blessings
Graham
365 Exhortations 